Tourism groups to face each other in Bitou muni council

PLETTENBERG BAY - The rivalry between the two Plett tourism entities is to be settled at a Bitou council meeting at the end of October.

This follows a decision at a special council meeting last Thursday, 29 September, where a proposal to extend the Plett Tourism Association's funding until June next year was changed - and the Association has now been given a second three-months ad-hoc funding.

It is also unclear when a report on the Association, which has been pushed back to February next year, will be tabled.

The call for the report follows controversies at the Association's AGM on 31 August when difficult questions about the financials of the Association were asked by Paul Duverge of the Raw Africa stable, who has established the Plettenberg Bay Tourism Board.

The name of the Board is also being opposed by the Association, but Duverge is adamant that he will not change it.

Duverge's questions at the AGM and the responses of the Association's CEO, Patty

Butterworth, led to lawyers' letters between the two parties. Bitou Mayor Dave Swart and Municipal Manager Mbulelo Memani attended a meeting held between the Board and the Association shortly before the special council meeting.

At this meeting, Memani alluded to the creation of an umbrella tourism body to include both groups - and any other institutions - as a solution to the impasse.

At the special council meeting, the decision was made not to extend the funding of the Plett Tourism Association to June next year, but to extend it for only three months.

The association receives a grant of over R3m annually from the municipality.

When asked for comment, Butterworth referred questions to the mayor's office, while Duverge said he hoped the impasse could be overcome before the October council meeting.

"The last thing we want is to create a situation where we have two rival entities fight in front of Council," he said. He said reaching a consensus between the Board and the Association would be "to the benefit of Plett tourism and the community at large".